The Lists
by Jackson Leona
Summary: Hermione and Ron are engaged, but before they get married, they are asked to write lists about each other, their lives, and their relationship. Follow the retelling of their story through lists that will reveal the inner-workings of their love.
1. Why I Should Hate Ron Weasley

Hermione Granger stared down in frustration at her first list, feeling as though she were being asked a ridiculous question. Her parents had insisted that since Ron and she were engaged, that they needed to go to a marriage counselor. She had balked at the idea originally. Going to counseling, even in the Wizarding world, suggested that there was something wrong with their relationship. But, after her mother had begged, nagged and threatened, Hermione had understood that it wasn't to fix anything, it was to guide the couple smoothly into marriage. So, she found a suitable counselor, a Squib working as a counselor to both the Wizarding and Muggle communities.

Ron had loathed the idea from its conception, but Hermione had won the argument, and the two had set off for their first counseling session. The counselor had told them that during their engagement, they would be making lists, following a series of prompts. After an hour of conversation, the happy couple left with their first set of prompts.

_Write a list of twenty-one reasons why you should hate your intended with explanations. Then, write a list of forty-one reasons why you love the other, with explanations. _

Reasons I should HATE Ronald Weasley with every fiber of my being

1. He has the emotional range of a teaspoon. Honestly! Sometimes I wonder how he can be a person when he can only manage to feel one thing at once.

2. He is one of the messiest people I have ever encountered in my life. If he cleaned any less, his room would look like an ACTUAL pigsty.

3. He gets so jealous that he loses his sense of reason.

4. Even when he isn't jealous, he hardly HAS a sense of reason.

5. He swears.

6. He talks with his mouth full, doesn't say please half the time and is otherwise generally less than gentlemanly.

7. His pride gets in the way of so much. He can't go after what he wants or do half of the other things he should because it just might hurt his pride.

the time I swear "protecting his pride" is Ron for "afraid of rejection."

laughs at things that aren't funny, including pranks at others' expense and calling certain people "insufferable."

10. He assumed that I would be there, waiting for him, when he finally spotted that I'm a girl and that there's something more between us. It felt that he was taking me for granted. A lot of times, I think he does take me for granted.

11. He's always made fun of my efforts with S.P.E.W.

12. He doesn't understand why I needed to go back to school and get my NEWTs.

13. When I randomly burst into tears, thinking about the war, for a minute he forgets what we went through and thinks I should stop being such a girl.

14. He snogged Lavender Brown just to get me to notice him, as if I hadn't noticed him already. That thick-headed git! I had noticed him AGES ago. And he was sitting around, completely uninterested in girls, (except Veela of course!), not noticing that, in fact, I'm a girl.

15. He can be pessimistic and can refuse to see the good in people.

16. Sometimes, I think he's more interested in Quidditch than he is in anything else.

17. He easily feels left out.

18. He has a tendency to drink more often than I think is appropriate.

19. He hates the food when I cook, but doesn't want to be the one to cook.

20. He doesn't like to talk about his feelings.

21. He left us when we were hunting Horcruxes, and broke my heart in the process.


	2. Why I Should Hate Hermione Granger

Hermione's mum decided that before we get married, we should see a marriage counselor. The whole thing is bloody awful. Once a week we have to go and talk to some bloke about our relationship , and then he gives us bloody homework. Hermione's over the moon about this. Homework. Of course, HERMIONE is thrilled about homework, but I'm not.

But, Hermione wants me to put time into these damn lists, so I will. Because, I'd do anything for her. And, I think it's bloody stupid that our first list is why we should hate each other, instead of love each other. I'm pretty sure she's going to kill me when I read this to her later, and I'll be all upset when she reads me mine. Merlin, this bloke is crackers. Well anyway: here goes.

Reasons Why I SHOULD hate Hermione Granger

1. She has more emotions than I have names for. Honestly, I wonder how she isn't one big walking measuring cup of emotions!

2. She has this obsession with things being properly in order. It's maddening.

3. When she gets jealous, she sends a mad flock of canaries at me instead of telling me to stop being a prat and do something about us.

4. She always has to reason things out, even when she's overly emotional.

5. She cringes when I swear…and she says stupid stuff, like "holy cricket." Come on Hermione, we aren't five here.

6. She doesn't notice that I hold open doors for her, or pull her chair out for her, or that when there's danger I ALWAYS put myself between it and her. She sees the best in everyone else, but never in me.

7. She doesn't understand that a man's pride, especially when he's a Gryffindor, is something that has to be protected. She doesn't get what it's like to be a bloke!

8. She sees right through my confidence problem. I hate that she knows me that well sometimes.

9. She doesn't know how to laugh sometimes, especially not at herself.

10. She thinks that I assumed she was waiting for me to figure it out. She doesn't know that I thought she hadn't realized boys were interesting yet. It really hurt when I found out she was with Krum (who she SAID she didn't even like at the Cup that summer!) and I thought she still liked books more than blokes. Talk about hurting my pride.

11. She has this elfish welfare obsession that I just don't understand. They're happy where they are. Can't she leave well enough alone?

12. She thought that having NEWTs would make her more accomplished.

13. She randomly bursts into tears and it terrifies me, because I know I can't make what we went through when we were seventeen any better. I hate that there are things in her life that I can't fix.

14. She snogged Viktor Krum just to get me to notice her. I was well aware that she was a girl! I was just under the impression that she was under the impression that that didn't matter yet.

15. She's so optimistic and forgiving. I swear she'd tell me that even Draco Malfoy has some good deep down inside of him if she could work it into conversation.

, I think she's more interested in books than anything else.

17. I think she pays more attention to Harry than to me, because she knows that we're really all he's got. I don't know why that makes me want to hate her, but it does.

18. She's a total hypocrite about drinking. She'll tell you she doesn't drink except on holidays, well if that's true, "Happy Random Thursday" just got declared a British Holiday.

19. She refuses to see things from my perspective, like just because I "have the emotional range of a teaspoon" what I feel doesn't matter quite as much.

20. She always has to TALK about every little thing.

21. She pretends like I'm not a horrible person for having left her and Harry when we were hunting Horcruxes, even though I am.


	3. Why I Can't Hate Ron Weasley

Hermione smiled as she began her second list. She was sure that this list would leave her far less frustrated than the last. She put her quill to her lips in thought, then began writing.

Reasons Why I cannot hate, but instead LOVE Ron Weasley

1. When he feels something, he feels it with every ounce of himself. He pours himself into it, whether it's the war or his job or his family.

2. He has matured so much over the course of our friendship. He's not the thirteen year old boy who didn't know how to apologize anymore.

3. He gets jealous because he wants to be the most important part of my life. I only get angry that he's jealous because he should KNOW he is, always has been, always will be the most important person in my life.

4. Even though it's strange to me, he follows his heart, instead of a plan. I admire that about him…even if it can be infuriating.

5. He has this wonderful way of defending my honor, or virtue, or whatever he feels he needs to protect about me for that day.

6. He opens doors for me, holds my chair out for me, and lives by the phrase 'if you want to get to her, you'll have to get by me, first.' Whenever I think he isn't being so gentlemanly, I have to remind myself that he grew up in a house where only two out of nine people were women.

7. He used to be SUCH a boy, but as he matures, he is becoming SUCH a man. He's becoming the kind of man that every little girl should have as a dad.

8. He isn't arrogant or above everyone else. He's quite humble and proud all at once.

9. He has a great sense of humor (when he isn't being crude, mind you) and always tries to get me to laugh when he knows I need to stop worrying.

10. He knew from age twelve that we were meant to be together, he just didn't know how to express that.

11. Even though we don't see eye to eye on the Elf issue, he knows that it's important to me and tries his best to support me now.

12. When I explained to him that NEWTs weren't about accomplishments, he finally realized that education was never about grades for me, but about actual learning. He began to understand me after that conversation.

13. Once he remembers to stay calm in the face of a crying Hermione Granger, he knows exactly how to comfort me. He knows I hate the words "it's ok" (because it won't be), he knows that the only thing that will make me feel better is saying "we did everything we could and they all died fighting for what we've got now." He figured that last bit out on his own.

14. He's an incredible kisser. I refuse to give Lavender Brown the credit for this, as I have it on good authority that Lavender isn't particularly skilled from Dean AND Seamus.

15. He's got the mind of an Auror. He knows that sometimes, you just have to keep your guard up, especially after everything he went through during the war.

16. He tries to get me interested in Quidditch, and will genuinely listen when I talk about things.

17. Behind his rough exterior, there is a sensitive and lonely boy who just wants to be loved. I find it really sort of beautiful that he's vulnerable AND strong.

18. When he drinks, he gets really pleasant and friendly, unless someone tries to hit on me…then you might as well call the authorities now…

19. He's realizing that there are some things about him that he needs to work on, like the being so thick about things.

20. Where Ron doesn't like to talk about his feelings, he likes to show them. Romantic gestures such as flowers or gifts or affection are easier for him to give than his words.

21. He came back. He came back because of me. He came back for me. And he hasn't left since.

22. He loves animals…except Crookshanks.

23. He's such a good caregiver.

24. He's absolutely the most handsome man I can think of.

25. When he knows I really want him to, he tries to talk things through.

26. He has the kind of bravery inside of him that I'll never have. He is brave enough to sacrifice himself in order to save me, his family or the world he loves so much.

27. He's INCREDIBLE at chess. His mind really understands strategy, thinking ahead and people…even if sometimes he prefers to be impulsive in his personal life.

28. He has never tried to push me to do something physical that I'm not ready for.

29. When I took him to meet my parents, he told them that he is very grateful to them for having raised me to be me and for allowing me to spend so much time at the Burrow.

30. He treats Harry more like a brother than a friend.

31. He hates when I say "his family," because "they're you're family, too."

32. He was the first person to call me 'Mione.

33. He's intuitive to what I want, need and think.

34. He's seen me at my worst and still thinks I'm beautiful and amazing.

35. He's a lot smarter and wittier than people believe.

36. Every so often, when he doesn't have to be at work early, he'll Apparate over to my flat, just to tell me good morning.

37. He's not afraid to just be himself.

38. He is going through Auror training because he wants the Wizarding world to stay at peace.

39. He works hard, so hard sometimes I wonder how he hasn't collapsed.

40. On days when he knows I won't have time to stop work and get lunch, he makes me one that I can eat at my desk. There's always a note tucked inside.

41. The night we made love for the first time, before we did he asked me if I had ever…before now. I told him no. He told me he was glad, because he had been waiting for me, and was glad that I had been waiting for him…even if it wasn't intentional. I told him it was.

**A/N: Hey, guys! Thank you all for reading, reviewing and subscribing. I love each and every one of you. I noticed a few mistakes in the previous chapters that happened because of my stupid formatting issues. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I hope you're enjoying this so far! I'm taking list requests if there's anything in particular that you want to see from our two love birds!**


	4. Why I Can't Hate Hermione Granger

"Bloody Hell," Ron mumbled as he threw down his quill. Writing that list was awful. I rolled my eyes and picked up my quill again, ready to write down forty-one reasons why I love Hermione Granger. Thinking about it, I knew there were a lot of reasons, and all of them made me mental. I looked at my untidy scrawl of a list. There they were: twenty-one good reasons why I should pack my things and not marry her, plain as day on paper. But, as I put my hand to paper, the reasons why I love her started flowing. And I knew that, even though there were plenty of things about Hermione that makes her crackers, that I had so many more reasons to be crackers about her.

Why I love Hermione Granger…even though it might make me mental.

1. She has an incredible capacity for love and compassion. It's sort of beautiful, in a weird way that I don't understand.

2. She's learned a lot since I've known her. She's so much warmer now, not at all like when she was eleven. And recently, she's learned how to ask me to do things, instead of nag me. We still bicker though…

3. Her passion is unmistakable. I love how passionate she is about what she puts her heart in to, even if it's S.P.E.W., or sending canaries at me like a daft cow.

4. Hermione doesn't let her emotions cloud her judgment. She always tries to do the right thing, the logical thing, or take the best path to get where she wants to go.

5. She doesn't need me to protect her; she can take care of herself. But, I want to be there for her, and I think she knows that, so she lets me protect her for her. It's nice…you know, when she needs me.

6. She forgives my stupid little habits that she hates, because she knows there are more important things than the fact that I act like I was raised by a bunch of wolves, instead of a nagging mum.

7. She used to be this huge know-it-all show off, who just had to let EVERY one know that SHE knew the CORRECT answer. Well…she's sort of gotten over that, she's a lot more polite about it now…usually.

8. She knows me better than anyone knows me. It can be a right pain sometimes, but it's also nice to know that she knows what I need more than anyone else.

9. Her laugh is incredible; it makes me go all soft at the knees. She knows how to laugh at a good joke (usually), and she's learned that sometimes rules are more like suggestions that are only there for the people who NEED them.

10. She knew from the age of eleven that we were meant to be together, which is why she was always nagging me to do better in school. But then I messed it all up, but she forgave me. And, then I just had to remind her a little. Sometimes, I wonder how she ever forgave me for mucking things up between us all the time. I've almost ruined things every year since I was thirteen, but every time I did, she forgives me.

11. Even though she hates Quidditch, she'll listen to it on the Wireless with me sometimes, or go to the games when I get Cannons tickets. She even goes to Ginny's games when we can go. She really cheers hard for her then, just like she did at school. I guess what I mean is that, even though she doesn't care about Quidditch, she has such a love for her friends that she can still cheer them on.

12. She loves to learn. Learning is a part of her. I don't know why I love it about her, but I admire how intelligent she is and how hard she works to use that intelligence to do some good.

13. She has never told a soul, not even Harry or Ginny, that I have nightmares about the war still, or that every so often, I cry about it. She knows that when I need to cry about the war, or Fred or whatever, she needs to just sit there with me, in silence, and hold me. I don't know how she figured out that that's what I need, because I didn't even know…but she did, and she does it…even though I know she'd rather talk about my feelings.

14. She is a WAY better kisser than Lavender. I mean, Lavender was terrible, honestly, but Hermione is loads upon loads better. I'm going to pretend that Krum had nothing to do with that. I'm going to pretend that she figured it out by reading a book about proper kissing technique. In fact, I'm positive that she would have read about kissing, because Hermione reads about everything.

15. She reminds me that not every person is either a Death Eater or in the Order. She reminds me that when it comes to good and evil, sometimes there are shades of grey. She helps me find the balance between hating criminals and Dark Wizards and dealing with them on a professional level.

16. She knows that books aren't really my thing, so when I ask her about what she's reading, after she tells me, she kisses me and tells me thank you for asking. In that moment, I feel like I might deserve her a little. It's things she does like that that show me that I mean something to her.

17. Underneath her intelligent and hardworking shell, there is this woman that is vulnerable and emotional, but stronger than anyone I know. She has a bigger heart than I knew could exist.

18. When guys hit on her at pubs, or when we go out somewhere, she immediately puts her arm around my waist, as if to say "I'm the happiest woman in the world, so back off." And when I'm not there, she even says it to their faces. Ginny swore up and down that she once saw, with her own eyes, Hermione wave her engagement ring in front of a bloke's face and said "I'm getting married, now bugger off." When she does stuff like that…I remember that she chose me, over the entire planet, and I feel so bloody lucky.

19. She helps me stop being so thick about everything, and she's admitted that sometimes the way she nags can be sort of mean.

20. She accepts the fact that I can't always SAY it, that I have to DO it. But what's better than that, is when she notices I'm feeling down, she writes me notes about how much she loves me. I don't know what I did to deserve her.

21. She forgave me after I came back, and she was the REASON I came back. Hell, she was half the reason I was fighting the war to begin with. She was the reason I kept going when we thought that Harry was…gone.

22. She thinks every living thing should be equal. Even though I don't ENTIRELY understand this (since I really think that House Elves are happy where they are), it's really noble of her. You have to respect that.

23. She's learned how to let people take care of her, instead of trying to do everything herself. She's also gotten really great at taking care of people, like when I kept bloody splinching myself when we were seventeen.

24. She's so beautiful I can't stand it, and she doesn't even know it. Her eyes and her hair and her face…well…she's more beautiful than a Veela. I could talk about how beautiful she is for days and not get bored.

25. She doesn't push me to talk when she knows I just can't. And she's started trying to SHOW me how she feels, because she knows that's what makes sense to me.

26. She's the kind of person I wish I could be: smooth and kind and stronger than I can even understand. She is so loyal to Harry, and to my family.

27. She is so good at KNOWING things. The way I wrote that sounds stupid…but it's true. She knows things like she invented them. And when she doesn't know something, she has find out about it. She has this THIRST to just know what makes something tick.

28. When she touches me, it's different. It's not like me and Lavender were. Lavender just wanted me to TOUCH her. Hermione wants ME to touch her. It doesn't sound like it's that much of a difference…but it makes all the difference in the world. With Hermione, it's not just what we do when we fool around, it's that it's me and her. I never liked the phrase "making love" before, but with Hermione, I'm sort of starting to understand that.

29. She's as much a part of my family as my brothers are…but she's definitely NOT my sister. I think emotionally, we've been married since Halloween night when we were first years.

30. She treats my sister like she would her own. Oh, yeah, that's another thing. Hermione is an only child, but she isn't bratty at all.

31. She took me to meet her parents and when we left she told me she had never been surer of how she felt about me than right then.

32. She doesn't call me some stupid nickname like "Won-Won," which brings me to two other things. One, she isn't overly girly about stupid girly tripe. Two, the only nickname she has for me is…well…when we're about to shag, sometimes, she calls me "lion." If that isn't sexy, I don't know what is.

33. She just gets me, even though she has NO idea sometimes, she still just…gets me.

34. She has seen me at my worst, when I left her and Harry, when I wake up in the middle of the night, when I'm sobbing…and she still loves me and thinks I'm attractive and she doesn't think I'm less of a man for crying over my dead brother.

35. When I asked her why her Patronus is an otter, she blushed and admitted that it's because the Burrow is in Ottery St. Catchpole, and that the otter is part of the weasel family. That almost killed me. She then pointed out the jack russel terriers (my patronus) are known for chasing otters. I did some research (which was odd for me), and I found out that we don't pick our patronuses. Our souls just know what our happiness would manifest itself as. Hermione's soul knew that her happiness would be to be in my family. My soul knew that my happiness comes from chasing after Hermione.

36. Every so often, she'll Apparate over to my flat, instead of hers, when she gets off work, and she'll just kind of make it a little homier for when I get there. She'll make sure it doesn't smell too rank, or leave a package of Pumpkin Pasties on the table, with a note telling me she loves me. She always leaves it there for me, as a surprise. She knows how much I love surprises.

37. She's not afraid to just be herself, even when people would tease her in school, or when she's been opposed at the Ministry for trying to repeal some old, stupid law.

38. She helped to repeal the old Pureblood favoritism laws, because she didn't want some dorky little Muggle-born coming in to our world with bias against her, because not every one of those kids has "a Harry and a Ron in her life." When she told me that, I got a little choked up. She pretended like she believed me when I said some dust had got in my eyes.

39. She works endlessly. Sometimes, I wonder if she hasn't invented a potion to stop her body from needing sleep because she works so furiously and still has time for a life.

40. She's secretly taking cooking lessons from my mum. She's thinks it's a secret, anyway, but when you have five…well, four, now…brothers, a sister, a sister's fiancée who's my best mate, a dad, a mum AND a bunch of in-laws…secrets don't work out so well.

41. One night before we got engaged, I asked her if she would mind if all of her one-day-children had red hair and freckles and long noses. She told me if they didn't she was going to have to send them back and ask for a refund. She's never said anything funnier, more ridiculous or endearing in her life.

**A/N: Hello to all of you beautiful readers, reviewers and subscribers. I love and thank each and everyone of you. I hope you enjoyed reading this list as much as I did writing it! I'm open to suggestions for new lists! And I want to let you know that Ron is wordier than Hermione in this list intentionally. I felt like Ron would be a storyteller with this list, while Hermione would be more concise. I would appreciate LOTS of feedback!**


	5. The Worst Nights of my Life

One week later, Hermione sat down at the desk in the tiny study of her flat. Biting her lip, she decided she would need a lot of courage to write this list. Hermione and Ron had been through terrible things, both together and apart. It had been a year and a half since the war, and Hermione still dreaded thinking about some of the experiences they went through in the war, and throughout her life.

She set her mouth in a firm line, and decided that she would just get through the prompt, and she would be alright. She had spent the last year surviving through reliving the events of the war, and the six months before helping to rebuild the Wizarding community, and repairing her parents' memories. She had destroyed Horcruxes, Hermione would get through writing the fifteen worst nights of her life.

The Worst Nights of my Life

15. The Night of the Yule Ball: Because Ron and I had the most magnificent row in history, and because that night I felt like he would never in his life see me the way I saw him. That night, I cried myself to sleep imagining my life with my books and my cat, alone forever. Even then, I knew Ron was the only man I'd ever love, and that night was the first time that I thought I had lost him. It was so awful, so lonely. I thought I wouldn't wake up in the morning.

14. The Night I Went on a Date with Cormac McLaggen: Because that man is one of the vilest human beings on the planet. That night, he not only tried to snog me, but he also got rather fresh. I spent the entire night, miserable, being man-handled and thinking about Ron. That night put into perspective that the only two dates I had ever been on were for the sole purpose of making Ronald Weasley jealous. It was put into perspective that Ron is the only man who ever showed interest in me, and not immediately tried to shove his tongue down my throat. Despite these revelations, it made me think that in the face of Ron being with Lavender, that I would never be seen to anyone else as anything more than brains and breasts.

13. The Night I spent as a Cat: The night that Harry, Ron and I drank Polyjuice Potion to transform into Slytherins, and I accidentally got transfigured into a car was awful. I was embarrassed and ashamed, and coughing up fur. I was in agony for weeks. I don't think anyone quite understands the pain that someone has to go through in order to grow and un-grow a tail.

12. The Night Harry Became a TriWizard Champion: The night Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire was dreadful. I sat up all night, seeing how awfully this could go. I saw him dying, saw him being ostracized for taking Cedric Diggory's glory. I saw him failing. I saw him afraid for the first time in three years. Harry had never shown his fear, and because of that I had never felt fear. If Harry was there, bold and fearless, I was safe. But, if Harry was afraid, I might as well give up. Ron and Harry got into a row that night. They had always been constants in my life. Harry and Ron, the inseparable best mates, had never rowed and had always been a united front. Seeing them torn apart was like having myself split in two. My brother versus the boy I was quickly falling in love with. I had never felt anything so debilitating in my life.

11. The Night I Thought She had "Won": The night Lavender kissed Ron in the Common Room broke my heart. I had never had a broken heart before. Suddenly, I knew what Ginny meant when she said seeing Harry with Cho was like a monster had taken a bite out of your soul. I thought he had chosen her over me. I had been so sure that he had feelings for me. I had been so sure that things between us were just going to take time, because we had been friends for so long. I had just been…so sure of him, of us. And then, he picked her. I felt ugly. I felt worthless. I felt like he only chose her because things with Lavender would be easy, because after being her roommate for five and a half years, I could say with confidence that LAVENDER is easy. And it infuriated me that he would pick her over me, simply because she was pretty, and because she would want to snog like mad whenever they could. That night killed me.

10. The Night Ron Drank Poisoned Mead: I saw what it would be like to lose Ron that night, even though by the time I got to him, Harry had already saved his life, and we hadn't spoken in quite some time. I saw my life without him in it. I saw me and Harry, fighting the war alone. I thought about what would happen if I lost him and I had never told him that I loved him. I saw myself never recovering, and never moving on. I saw what would happen to me if I survived the war, which would be to live as one half of a whole, one third of a broken trio, and entirely broken myself. That night made up my mind about how entirely I loved him and that I would forgive him in a heartbeat. Of course, that night was also wonderful, because he said my name when he was sleeping, but that's another point entirely.

9. The Night of the Quidditch World Cup: This was the night that I was positive that open war was coming. I knew that with Wormtail back with Voldemort that he would be regaining power. I knew that from then on, it wouldn't just be occasional face-offs between Harry and Voldemort. I knew that night that our lives would become war, and that there was no way to avoid that. I just had no idea how quickly it would come.

8. The Battle of the Department of Mysteries: This was the first time I had seen combat, and it sure as Hell wouldn't be the last. Sirius died. Ron was almost killed by enchanted brains. We all were almost killed by Death Eaters. Harry heard the Prophecy. Harry tried to use an Unforgivable. So many cataclysmic events happened that night. And I knew that if I survived this war, if any of us did, it would be a miracle. I was so terrified. That night, the war became reality to me. It was no longer just trying to listen in on Order meetings, or learning with the D.A. That night made the possibility of death and loss real. But the worst part was losing Sirius. Harry had so little family. He had so little light in his life, and Bellatrix Lestrange took one of those lights from him. I swore to myself that if I ever met her in combat again, that I would fight her with all I had. Little did I know, that in two years, Bellatrix Lestrange would be taking a lot more from me than just a light.

7. The Night I Modified my Parents' Memories: I figured out on the train ride home that summer, when I knew that I wouldn't be going back to Hogwarts, that my parents were in danger. I knew that if I was going to go with Harry to hunt the Horcruxes, that my parents had to be protected, and that the only way was to send them far away, unaware that a boy named Harry Potter existed. I put off doing it for days, just wanting a few more moments of innocence, a few more moments without war, a few more moments with my parents. But the night I knew would be my last chance to protect them, I screwed up the courage and Obliviated their memories. I created new identities for them in their minds and on paper. I stole all of their personal documents, duplicated them and changed the names, birthdates and their histories. I cried the entire time. I was so worried that I wouldn't survive and would never see them again. I hated myself that I hadn't been more careful. The last words they heard me say before I Obliviated myself from their memories was "Dad, aren't you glad that I didn't need those braces after all?" I hated myself until I found them, months after the war, and apologized profusely for what I had done.

6. The Night of the last TriWizard Task: The night Voldemort returned was the worst night of my life for so long. That night, I realized how vulnerable we had been to infiltration and how much everything was about to change. The night of the Quidditch World Cup, I thought that the war would happen, but I never expected it to be so suddenly. To watch Harry sob that Cedric had died, to know that he had had to face Voldemort alone and for me to be powerless to help him, was heart-wrenching. I saw everything change in one night. All of the innocence of our youth was gone. From that night forward, I knew we were no longer children solving mysteries that would somehow pull through by the skin of our teeth; I realized that we were going to become soldiers, children fighting an evil tyrant's war. I had never thought that being young would spare us in the face of evil, but that night it truly hit me that we couldn't even claim to be children anymore.

5. That Night I can Hardly Name: I can hardly talk about what happened to me at Malfoy Manor. I prefer not to. But, I have to. The night that Bellatrix Lestrange tortured me was the most awful physical pain I have ever endured. I can't even describe what it felt like physically. Mentally, it was just as awful. I kept thinking that I would die, that this was the last time all three of us would make it out alive. I just begged that Harry and Ron would survive. They had so many Horcruxes left to destroy, and we were so close to death. While I was screaming in agony, my thoughts became similar to the ones the locket Horcrux fed me, that we were doomed, that I should just give up, and that we were going to lose. But this time, I knew it wasn't a bit of Voldemort's soul feeding me dark thoughts. This time, I was being tortured into unconsciousness. I had given up fighting it off, and let the pain destroy my body, but then I heard his voice and I remembered why I was fighting this bloody war to begin with. Of course, I didn't come away unscathed. The only scar I still have from the war is the faded word "Mudblood" carved into my arm. Bellatrix used a cursed knife, and the scar will never go away. That night still haunts me. I've only just begun to get over the panic attacks and what Muggles would call PTSD.

4. The Battle of the Astronomy Tower: When Dumbledore died, I knew it would only be a matter of time before Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore. I knew there wouldn't be a Hogwarts for me next year, because Muggle-borns would never be allowed back. That night, I lost my home, our leader, my hero. It became apparent that a fully-fledged war would begin. I saw the cornerstones of the world I loved so much, the world that I truly belonged to crumbling. And I knew it would never be alright again, not until the war was over.

3. The Night After He Left: I cried. Harder than I've ever cried in my life. I couldn't breathe. Or sleep. Or eat. Or speak. I couldn't function. I forgot who I was, what I was doing. I forgot my whole existence that night. I thought that maybe he would come back the next day, but after it had been 24 hours, well I thought he was never coming back. I thought I would never see him again.

2. The Night He Left: I knew he only said those things because of the Horcrux. I knew that it was only because Voldemort's soul was infecting his own. But that didn't stop how much it killed me to see him walk away. I loved him so completely, so wholly, and he left us. I was so angry. His loyalty had faltered and the love of my life was gone. I had thought that if we were going to die in this war, we would die together. I imagined us being similar to Harry's parents, dying together as we tried to protect what we loved most. But that night, I saw myself dying, fighting for a world where he would be at peace, alone and weak. It was like my entire future changed that night. I wept that night, in sheer disbelief. I told myself he would be back tomorrow, and I could yell and scream and fight and then tell him I loved him. But he didn't come back. I just called his name for hours, sobbing and losing myself.

1. The Battle of Hogwarts: We all lost so much that night. Remus. Tonks. Fred. Friends. Family. They were all so brave, so strong. There were so many times we nearly died. Ginny and I almost were killed by Bellatrix. Ron was almost killed. We almost lost everything that night. I felt the losses so hard, because I knew what every single person meant to someone else. I hated it. And then, the worst happened. When we all thought Harry was…gone, well, I gave up. I knew that if Harry was gone, then the Prophecy couldn't be fulfilled, and I would be killed, or enslaved. I had been trying to mentally prepare myself for the possibility of enslavement. But how exactly is a soldier, who is really only a nineteen year old girl, supposed to mentally prepare herself to be turned into a slave? But I knew in that moment, that if Harry was gone, we didn't stand a chance. So, I made up my mind. I would die in the fight and I would refuse to be taken prisoner. I would kill the remaining Horcrux and I would take as many Death Eaters as I could with me. And I would die the same kind of death as Harry, walking calmly with Death towards the Light. I saw the looks on Ron and Ginny's faces. I knew Ginny would fight with me, be the brave woman Harry had fallen so madly in love with. I saw Ron, looking at the body of his best mate, his brother, and I saw in his eyes that Harry had been more important to him than I had ever really understood. And I felt all the carefully enforced walls of my heart broken down, because in that moment, I saw Harry, and realized everything that he had ever done for me. He had stepped into the wonderful world of magic with me, and been with me every moment, from troll to his death. I had wanted to go with him, to comfort him, as I know he would do for me. And I had lost my brother and the only one who stood a chance against Voldemort. But then, the impossible, the wonderful, the best miracle happened. Harry was still the-Boy-Who-Lived. And even though it was the worst night of my life, with the loss, the fear, the fighting, it was also the day that the world I was so in love with found peace.

******A/N: Hello and much love to you all. I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think and suggest a list you'd like to see!**


	6. The Worst Nights Ever

I knew I had my mouth twisted in the way that Hermione hates. She says it's a look of disgust, contempt and nausea. But, I can't help it. This is the list I don't even begin to understand. Why in the name of Merlin's saggy left testicle should I write down the worst fifteen nights of my life? This has nothing to do with me and Hermione's marriage. This is torture. I don't want to relive the worst experiences of my life, especially not the ones from the war, which will probably take up most of the list.

I stared at the blank parchment in front of me, thinking about everything we had been through and everything I had done, or failed to do. I really hate this. I despise it. But, I can only imagine what Hermione will do to me if I tell her I skived off a list. So, with a deep breath, I write down the worst nights of my life on a spare bit of parchment, put them in descending order and then write about them on the roll of parchment, but she can't expect me to go into great detail.

Nights I'll Spend my Life Hating, Regretting, etc

15. The Night Percy Disowned Us: As much as I think Percy was a prat until the Battle of Hogwarts and he finally stopped being such a foul git, when he left I was really upset. Family means a lot to me and Percy is and always was a part of that. I hated how much of a prat he was being. Not to mention when he wrote me to tell me to stop associating with Harry, because that was the night I disowned Percy. So I guess this is a two for one.

14. The Night that the Twins Turned my Bear into a Spider: It wasn't their fault. They were too young to control their magic. They were angry, and mischievous, but it emotionally scarred me. I can't even look at spiders without wanting to run. I'm twenty and still afraid of them.

13. The Yule Ball: One of the thickest moments my brain has ever seen. I realized Hermione had, actually, had feelings for me. I had thought she didn't care about blokes yet. So, that night I realized I was a moron, a prat and I had probably just blown my only shot with the love of my life.

12. The Night of the Slug Club Christmas Party: While I was busy snogging Lavender that night, my mind was in Slughorn's office, imagining Hermione with McLaggen's arm round her shoulders and her laughing at all his stupid, pathetic jokes. I saw her snogging him in my head and I thought about how he was better looking than me, a better keeper than me, not poor like me, and all around more desirable than me. I thought for sure Hermione would come back to the Common Room with him all over her.

11. The Night we Met Sirius: My leg broke. I lost my pet rat. I realized I had been harboring the man that betrayed my best mate's parents. I had been PETTING the man who ruined my best mate's life. I didn't even get to go with Harry and Hermione that night. I knew I couldn't, but it kind of pissed me off that I wasn't there with them that night. We're a trio, we're supposed to fight these things together. But worse, that night planted a seed in my head. Every group has a weakest link, and it occurred to me that I am ours, just like Wormtail. I vowed that night that I would never betray Harry and Hermione the way that Wormtail had betrayed Harry's parents.

10. The Night Hermione was petrified: I realized that I was in love with Hermione that night. When McGonagall said I could come along as well, I felt like the spare in Hermione's life and that made me angry. I wanted to be the one McGonagall came to first if Hermione was in trouble. But, the worst part was seeing her on that hospital bed, practically turned to stone. The second I saw her it was like my heart plummeted straight into my knees. I just couldn't breathe. I was so afraid that I would lose her. And that night, as I lay awake in my bed going over that she would be okay, that Professor Sprout would cure her, I realized that Harry was softly snoring, and that I was the only one staring at my ceiling. It occurred to me that maybe I saw Hermione in a different light than Harry did.

9. The Night that Harry and I Followed the Spiders: My worst fear is spiders. I was carried by a massive one. Talked to a massive one. Was almost eaten by loads of massive ones. Not a pleasant night.

8. The Battle of the Department of Mysteries: I was attacked by magical brains with tentacles. We had to face Death Eaters head on. It was the first time in open combat. I thought I would die. I thought Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna would die. I realized I had put my baby sister in danger and that if she died, it would be my fault and I would be the brother who failed to protect her. Sirius died. Watching my best mate in that much pain was awful. I knew he wouldn't be the same after that.

7. The Night Ginny was Taken into the Chamber of Secrets: My sister, my baby sister, my only sister that it was my job to protect, was led into the Chamber to die and I had to sit there and do nothing on the other side of some rocks. Finding out that Ginny had been being possessed by Voldemort's memory, and what I later found out was a piece of his soul, was maddening. While I was shifting the rocks from the cave-in, I kept thinking about what Harry would be facing down there, and that Ginny might already be gone. I thought about having to find my own way out and then tell everyone that Harry and Ginny were gone. I hate even thinking about that night. A kid who had only just turned thirteen should not have to think about telling his mum that his eleven year old sister had been murdered.

6. The Battle of the Astronomy Tower: The night Dumbledore died was terrible. I knew we wouldn't be safe anymore. I knew that there was no way Hermione would be safe anymore. I immediately started planning in my head, how I would convince her to go into hiding with Harry, but then we had a mission, so she didn't need convincing. That night, all Hell broke loose. I knew that if Dumbledore was gone, it would only be a matter of time before the whole world started to crumble. Up to that point in my life, it was the most afraid I had ever been.

5. The Night Voldemort Returned: I knew open war was coming. There is no worse feeling that knowing that your entire family, your friends, your world is about to be under attack. That, coupled with finding out that a man you trusted was really a Death Eater who had committed unspeakable crimes, amounts to one of the top five worst nights of my life.

4. The Night After I Left Harry and Hermione: I sat in Bill's cottage, staring at the wall, angry and depressed. I had realized what I had done and wanted to drink myself into oblivion. But, Bill wouldn't let me. So I sat there, staring at the wall of my room, playing with the Deluminator . I started thinking about how Dumbledore shouldn't have trusted me to help them, that I wasn't loyal enough. And then, I remembered something that I had sworn when I was fourteen. "I, Ronald Bilius Weasley, will never betray Harry and Hermione the way that Wormtail betrayed Harry's parents." I knew I had failed them; I had broken my promise. I thought about how they didn't need me, but I wanted to be there to help them. And I thought about how even if I found a way back, they wouldn't take me back, or how I stood no chance with Hermione now. I felt useless and alone and I hated myself so much that I couldn't stand it.

3. The Night I Left Harry and Hermione: The Horcrux fed me awful things, things that I had always been afraid of, but never wanted to put completely formed thoughts to. I felt darkness growing inside of me and I couldn't fight it off. I woke up to see Hermione talking quietly with Harry and I went mental. I have never felt so angry in my life at people I love so much. I felt so useless and unwanted. And I betrayed them. I took away from myself the only thing that I had on that journey: friendship. I did the thing I hated Percy for and the thing that Wormtail should have died instead of doing. I betrayed the people that mean the most to me.

2. The Night I Still have Nightmares About: Bellatrix Lestrange was a vile bint. I could do nothing as I was forced to listen to the woman I loved so dearly, had only just gotten back, scream in pain. I tried to be taken instead of her. I tried. A million scenarios went through my head as I heard her scream. They would kill her. They would torture her into insanity, just like Neville's parents. They would kill her and then us. I would die never having gotten to say the words, "I love you, Hermione." I thought I would give up. But then, Dobby came and rescued us all. And even though we came out with only one casualty during that battle, I will always be haunted by the sound of Hermione's screams.

1. The Battle of Hogwarts: Fred. Lupin. Tonks. Snape. Colin. That night I lost my brother. I almost died countless times. I almost lost Hermione. We knew Harry was walking calmly to death. We thought Harry was dead. When we thought that Harry was dead…I lost all hope. I knew we wouldn't make it out alive if we didn't switch sides, and there was no way that I was going over to join a man who had poisoned my thoughts that led me to leave my two best friends, and I was sure as Hell not going to join that man if he was the kind of person who would treat the woman I love like vermin. I quickly made two plans for Hermione and I. Number one: die fighting. Number two: Escape out of the boundaries of the grounds with Hermione and as much as my family as possible, Apparate away and figure out a new plan. But I couldn't make my legs move. Harry is my best mate, and I couldn't do that without him. I looked over and saw Ginny, and knew exactly the amount of pain she was in. I saw the look in her eyes and knew that she was perfect for Harry, but at the time it felt like it didn't matter. She was about to avenge his death, and Harry Potter may have been the Chosen One, but I wouldn't get in the way of Ginny when she has that look on her face. I knew when I saw her she wouldn't want to run, she would want to die fighting. And Hermione had that same look, the look that says I will never back down. I was so proud of them, and I decided to fight with them. I would never back down either. And then, when Harry threw off the Invisibilty Cloak and he was there and he saved the world (for the millionth time), well it was alright again. But even if that day is that we saved the world, and I kissed Hermione, it'll always be the day I thought my best mate had died, that I almost lost the love of my life, the day that George became George instead of Fred and George. May 2nd, 1998 will always be the worst day of my life.

**A/N: Thank you for reading, subscribing and reviewing. You mean the world to me. The next lists are going to be best nights (as I'm trying to write the lists as pairs), but I'm open to your suggestions if there is anything you think Ron and Hermione should list before their wedding. Much love, Jack.**


	7. The Best Nights of my Life

**A/N: This is really long. I hope you read it all, because I like it, think you might like it, and because I wanted Hermione to really tell the stories of her best nights, not just list. If the length bothers you, please let me know in a review and I'll cut down. I appreciate all your reviews and love getting them! I love you all and the support you've been so graciously giving me. If you've any requests for lists let me know! The lists are sets (hate/love, worst/best for example). **

Hermione looked at the prompts written before her. She had just finished the first list of this set, and got to move along to the much happier counterpart to _The Worst Nights_. She was rather excited to write about the best nights of her life. Despite all the hardships and trouble she had undergone, Hermione felt that she really had lived many greater nights than terrible ones. She tried to look at it that way, at least.

She picked up her quill again and decided to write down some of her favorite nights, and then order them. Hermione could feel the itch to write pages upon pages about some of her greatest nights, especially what she knew would be the number one on her list.

The Best Nights of my Life

**25. The Night I Gave Up the Time Turner:** During third year I was constantly at the breaking point. My classes were taking such a toll on me. I thought I could do it all, but I couldn't. I hated keeping secrets from the boys and after Harry and I saved Sirius, I realized that things in my life were complicated enough even without traveling through time. That night I felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders, and I became instantly happier. And honestly, I can't imagine trying to handle the Time Turner in the middle of the TriWizard Tournament. That would have killed me.

**24. The Night I Moved into my own Flat:** After the war, we all stayed at Hogwarts for about a month, as we rounded up Death Eaters, and then started repairing the castle. Then, after that everyone stayed at the Burrow, as we kept making trips to Hogwarts to help repair things, or to the Ministry to testify at hearings and work on legislation, and decide on new guards for Azakaban and all the millions of other things they needed us for. After a few months, I went to Australia to find my parents. And then, I went back to Hogwarts. So, when I FINALLY had a place all to myself, I felt like I was finally crossing into actual adulthood. It was quite liberating.

**23. The Night we Had our First Dumbledore's Army Meeting:** The first time we got together for practice was absolutely a great night. I was so excited, exhilarated even, to be finally learning how to defend myself properly, and to defy that old hag Umbridge. I knew open warfare was coming, and I wanted to be on the frontlines with Harry, not just the background assistant like I always had been. But, the main thing that made Dumbledore's Army so incredible, was friendship. I never had friends outside of Harry, the Weasleys and Neville until the D.A. We learned how to defend ourselves and how to duel, but we also learned about inter-house unity and how to cooperate. Luna is going to be my only non-Weasley bridesmaid and I know that the D.A. is what brought us together. I'm so thankful for this night, for teaching me the skills to survive the war, and for giving me even more reason to fight the war.

**22. The Night I got my NEWTs Results:** After I left Hogwarts, I practically moved into the Burrow until I got my own flat. The war put into perspective that I needed to spend every waking moment that I could with the people I had found my home with. My parents understood that, while I loved them dearly, my place has always been in the Wizarding World. I visit them constantly, of course, but after I graduated, I spent the summer in Ginny's room, as I had for so long. So, on the day that my NEWT results were delivered I was at the Burrow. I was so nervous that I was shaking. I couldn't find the courage to open the envelope yet, so I threw it under my pillow and left it there all day. Ron asked me about the results that night, and I told him, rather embarrassedly, that I hadn't opened it yet, and he told me that it didn't matter. I immediately protested and he stopped me saying that yes, it was important, but there was nothing that could stand in the way of my success. He told me that everyone would be proud of me, whether I got one NEWT or twelve. For the first time, I felt like the world would be alright if I wasn't perfect.

**21. The Night I got Sorted:** My first night at Hogwarts was so very magical, in the emotional sense. The moment I saw the castle, I knew I was coming home. I had never felt normal in the Muggle world, and once I became a part of Gryffindor house, I felt like I was finally where I belonged. Becoming a Gryffindor showed me that the most important thing about me isn't my brains, but my courage.

**20. The Night I Realized that Ron was Going to Stop Being a Stupid Prat:** The Night of Harry's seventeenth birthday party, Ron kept complimenting me and acting like a normal boy does when he fancies a girl. It occurred to me that if we both survived the Horcrux hunt, that he wouldn't play games anymore. I saw in his eyes that he wasn't going to be stupid anymore. He had realized that he loved me and that I loved him and the only thing standing between us were five Horcruxes.

**19. The Night I Found out that I'm a Witch:** I was always an odd girl in the Muggle World. I was bullied quite severely in primary school. I was funny looking and a swotty bookworm. The other girls didn't like me and the boys thought I was a nightmare. But more than just the normal things a strange Muggle girl could get bullied for, weird things always happened to me. People tried to cheat off my tests, and their pencils would lose the ability to write, or girls would throw things at me and bounce off of an invisible shield. I felt like a freak. The few friends I had were becoming wary of me, and my parents had decided on sending me to a boarding school when I went on to secondary school. But then, on my last day of primary school, Professor McGonagall knocked on our door to explain all about Hogwarts. I felt normal for the first time in my life that night.

**18. The Night we Became a Trio:** Even though we faced a fully grown Mountain Troll at eleven and almost died, AND Ronald's thick-headedness had made me cry for hours, AND I lied to Professor McGonagall, Halloween night 1992 will always be one of the best nights of my life. That night changed my entire life. Before that night, I had no friends, not even in the Muggle world. But, that night when Harry and Ron saw me as more than just a swotty bookworm, I had friends for the first time in my life. If I hadn't been crying in that bathroom that night, then I wouldn't have ever become who I am. I would never have found out why I was Sorted into Gryffindor, or what I could do with the Courage Ron and Harry inspire in me. Without this night I would never have helped to save lives.

**17. The Night Ron and I became Prefects:** I was so pleased that Dumbledore chose me to be Prefect. And when I walked into the boys' room at Grimmauld Place to tell them, I thought Harry had gotten it. I had assumed he would, and looking back I feel really guilty. I think Dumbledore gave Prefect to Ron so that he could have something of his own, something to have that wasn't Harry's. And that night, I was just as guilty as everyone else for overlooking him. But then, all new wonderful possibilities were unfolding in my mind. Ron and I would be patrol partners, and have Prefect duties together. I loved the idea of having so much time to work with just Ron. I thought, perhaps this would patch things up between us after the Yule Ball incident and get the ball rolling. In a way, it worked and I'm really grateful for Dumbledore's choice. I also have a suspicion that he did it on purpose.

**16. The First Night George Told a Joke After Fred Died:** When Fred died during the Battle of Hogwarts, George wasn't the same. I can't imagine the horrid pain he was, and still is, in. He lost a brother he had been with every day since conception. He lost his twin, his best mate, his business partner, and his sense of humor. George hadn't cracked a joke or pulled a prank since we lost Fred, until one night at dinner at the Burrow five months, two weeks and four days after the War ended. Ginny made a comment about Bulgarian Quidditch. Ron turned a startling shade of red, and George said: "Ron, I thought you stopped supporting Bulgaria. Why've you painted your face their colors?" Everyone laughed, but George just looked up at the sky, like he was thanking Fred or waiting to hear his laugh. Having George back was beautiful. Life's just not the same without Fred and when George practically went comatose I thought I would lose both of them. No matter how much I nagged the twins, I loved Fred and I love George. They're something special and having George back put one of the missing pieces back into the puzzle of our family. We'll always miss Remus and Tonks and Fred, but with George back, there's a lot more hope in the world.

**15. The Night I Realized I was in Love with Ron:** I've had a crush on Ron since we met on the train. In all honesty, I only offered to help Neville find Trevor because I wanted to see if I could meet Ron. I had seen him on the platform with his family and was intrigued. I'm an only child, so large families have always made me jealous. But, Ron seemed different from his family. There was something about him, and I wanted to know what it was. Of course, our friendship was rocky at first…But, the night I realized I had fallen in LOVE with him was during third year. When Harry couldn't go to Hogsmeade and before the twins gave him the map, Ron and I went alone. I pretended it was a date. Hogsmeade was really the first time Ron and I were ever alone, and I felt like I was getting to know him as Ron Weasley, not Ron Weasley: Harry Potter's best friend. He and I really clicked that day. I was afraid it would be awkward or strange, or that we wouldn't have anything in common other than Harry. But that day, it really occurred to me that I liked Ron for who he really is, not the way everyone sees him. I was lying in bed that night, thinking about all of it and I kept trying to say the words "I fancy him" or "I'd like to date him" in my head, but they kept coming out as "I love him" or "I'd like to marry him one day." I tried to shut out those thoughts, because I was only fourteen at the time. But, I just couldn't do it. I kept closing my eyes and thinking about all the wonderful things about him: his heart, his courage, loyalty, humor, all the hundreds of thousands of things that I couldn't ignore.

**14. The Night we Talked about Patronuses:** One night a few months ago, Ron asked me why my Patronus is an Otter, and we talked about how I had figured out that it was because an Otter is in the Weasel family, and because the Burrow is in Ottery St. Catchpole. I told him about Jack Russel Terriers chasing after Otters. Completely out of character, Ron researched them all on his own, without any prompting and found out that a Patronus is not chosen, but manifests in the form of our truest happiness. A few nights later, he told me about this discovery and he asked me how I felt about that. I told him that I had known that when we first learned the charm in D.A. practice, and that when I put all the pieces together that night, I had realized that this wasn't something that would go away. Patronuses are very serious magic; they aren't just idly chosen. I knew that being in love with Ron wasn't going to go away. I told him that when we were having that conversation, and I think he is really beginning to understand how deeply my feelings for him ran, even when we were in school.

**13. The Night I Got Hired at the Ministry:** Things are very strange in the Ministry these days. Now that we've got a Minister with a head on his shoulders, things are actually wonderful. But, the strange part is that because everyone just survived a war, the Wizarding community is very tightly knit these days. Everyone was in the Order together, or was watching out for one another, or turned up for the Battle of Hogwarts. There are so many connections, that it can be tough separating one's personal life from one's work life. For instance, Kingsley comes round for dinner about once a month. Victoire and Teddy ADORE Uncle Kingsley and he became like a part of our family immediately after the war. He doesn't have much family left, so he's become an adopted Weasley.

I interviewed for a position at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I applied to a mid-level position, instead of an entry level position because I wanted to start drafting legislation right away. I had never had a job in the Wizarding World before, unless "Horcrux Hunter" counted as job experience, but I had eleven NEWTs and my increased efforts with S.P.E.W. on my resume. I hadn't heard from the Department in a week, and was thinking that this meant I wouldn't get the job. I had expressed these concerns with Ron, who mentioned Kingsley was coming to dinner that night.

I begged him not to bring it up; I didn't want help getting the position. But, as a future Weasley, I've learned that sometimes you can't win. Ron mentioned that I had applied to Kingsley as he passed him the potatoes. Kingsley went wide-eyed for a moment and said "Hermione, you haven't gotten the owl, yet? It was supposed to go out yesterday." There was this heavy silence and finally Kingsley said "Oh, alright. I'm Minister, I can tell you what I want to tell you. You got the job, Hermione!" Everyone went wild. There was clapping and singing (from Ginny, George and Bill), and the making of celebratory cakes. Ron smirked and said "I knew you would get it." The whole dinner turned into a huge celebration. Since the war, celebrations of anything become celebrations of life and freedom, so they're always quite a big deal. I knew that now, I had a career in the ministry, and that my family was proud of me. I knew that from the first day at the office, I'd start making a difference with the treatment of elves. I was so excited.

**12. The Night I Found my Parents:** Ron went with me to Australia, but he didn't go with me when I knocked on the Wilkins' door. He offered to, but I thought it would be too much, to have me explain it all to them, AND to meet my boyfriend. We had spent about a week, trying to track them down. They had lived in a hotel at first, and then a flat, and when I found them they were renting a house. I was so nervous. I was worried that they would feel like I had betrayed them, or had violated their rights. But, I was just doing the only thing I could to protect them. It was a few months after the war that I went to find them and I was terrified. But, when I knocked on their door, my mum asked if I was a solicitor and I panicked; I was just so relieved that they were alright. I Confunded my parents into letting me in, and when they had sat down I removed all the difficult spellwork I had performed on them. They were shocked to see me and very upset with me at first. My mum cried, and my dad stared at his shoes. I thought for sure they would tell me they hated me, but then, my mum hugged me and she told me how proud she was of me. "Hermione, you grew up to be a war hero, and we couldn't protect you, so you protected us." I sobbed.

They understood, and they were proud of me. I had explained to them a long time ago that there were some wizards that thought I was lower than they were, simply because of where I came from, but I told them that I wasn't ashamed of it and that I was prepared to fight for myself and for those like me. They decided to move back to England and that there was nothing to forgive. I was so happy. My life was finally going to have some sort of peace, no more war, safe parents, and a wonderful Wizarding family.

**11. The Night Ron Met my Parents:** Ron had sort of met my parents once when we were younger, but it hadn't mattered much then. So, he didn't really meet them until they had gotten resettled and we had talked for long periods of time about everything. So, one night, I brought him with me to my weekly dinner with mum and dad. He was the most perfect gentleman. I've never seen him act like that. He was gracious with them, and talked about me like I hung the moon. He thanked them for always allowing me to come to the Burrow and for raising me into the woman he loved. He was so courageous that night. Ginny had confided in me that Harry had told her that Ron had possibly off-handedly mentioned that he was more nervous than he ever had been, but he never showed that fear once. When we walked out back to Apparate to the Burrow before I took my Portkey to Hogwarts, I told him that I had never been surer about us. I told him that I love him and that there was no one in the world as important to me as him.

**10. The Night it Occurred to me that my Best Friends are all in my Family:** Harry and Ginny got engaged recently, and after their engagement party at the Burrow, I realized that when Ron and I marry, Ginny and Harry will be my family. I already knew that, but I had never put much thought to the fact that our family is massive and that I love them all. The Weasleys, Harry, Teddy and Andromeda, Neville, and Luna are all my very closest friends and are my family. It's a wonderful feeling to know that the people you love are your family and vice versa. I know that Harry didn't grow up with a loving family, so I try to never take mine for granted.

**9. The Night I Forgave Him:** I'd rather not tell Ronald about this, but I forgave him the second he came back. I had been so afraid I'd never see him again, or that if I did see him it would be like with Percy. But he came back and he knew he had done wrong. I could see in his eyes that he meant every word of his apology and that he had wanted to come back. But I still wanted to be angry at him. So I was. I acted like he had to work for my forgiveness, which I think was a wise decision because he didn't take it for granted. But the night that I TOLD him, I forgave him was actually a few nights after the Battle. We were sitting by the Lake, holding hands and not talking. We were both still in shock. We had spent the last few days rounding up Death Eaters and going to Funerals and this was the first time we had managed to be able to just sit by ourselves, but there was so much on our minds that we didn't know where to begin. So, we sat in silence. Until, I turned to him and said "Ron, I don't blame you for leaving. I know it was the Horcrux. I know it wasn't you. You came back and that's all that matters anymore, and I don't want you to think that I'm angry at you or that I could never forgive you because I'm not and I have already." He squeezed my hand and replied, "I don't deserve that. I deserve you being angry at me forever, but I'll take it." He kissed me, and we went back to the castle. I think I decided he would have no choice but to marry me after that night.

**8. The Night we Became an Official Couple:** About a week after I told him I had forgiven him, we were sitting on a hill just beside the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had insisted that we come back for a few days, but we escaped out of the crowded kitchen for a few moments. We just laid on the grass, with my head on his chest and his arm around me. I was looking up at the stars, thinking about how much things were changing in the world.

He nervously broke the silence, saying "I know everything is a mess right now, but I was wondering if you and I—" and I cut him off. I told him, "Ron, things _are_ a mess right now and you're grieving and things are so mucked up, you don't have to do this now. We can wait. There's so much time now." And he shook his head. "No, I don't wait to wait anymore. Hermione, I've wasted enough time. I don't want to hesitate anymore. Our time is short and this is us, this is our fate. I want to be yours. So, will you uh, be my girlfriend?" I kissed him with a smile. "Of course," I replied. I was so blown away. Ron had always been so slow moving with romance, but there he was, sweeping me off my feet and making me feel so significant in the face of rebuilding a community that had suffered so much, in light of which I had been feeling so small.

**7. The Night I knew Ron would Propose Soon:** About two weeks before Ron proposed to me, we were sitting on his couch, he was reading the Daily Prophet and I was reading the regulations for writing legislation. I was leaning against his chest, and he had one arm on my stomach, the other held up the Prophet. I rested my book on his arm and I felt more at home than I ever have before. The thing about Ron and I, is that we don't have to fill every minute with chatter. He knows that I can just sit and read a book, while he reads Quidditch reports, or does paperwork, and that's romance for me. We're comfortable together.

I was just thinking about that when he asked, "Hermione?" as he peeked over the Prophet. "Yes?" "Never mind, you're busy," he replied reluctantly. I know that tone. That tone is the tone he uses when he's going to chicken out on something because he thinks he won't like the answer. "Ron, we've been together for almost a year and a half. I love you, you love me. You can tell me everything." With a deep breath in he asked, "Hermione, if all of your one-day children have red hair and freckles and long noses, will you mind?" Without hesitation I replied "Ronald, if they don't, I'm going to have to send them back and ask for a refund." I could feel the grin on his face as he kissed the top of my head. He pulled me in tighter to him from round the stomach, and it occurred to me that he had been stroking the tiny bit of exposed skin where my shirt had popped up. I knew then that Ron was thinking about our future in a serious enough way that he was considering marriage and that one day his child would be centimeters below where his thumb was. I knew he'd propose within the month.

**6. The Night we Said "I love you" for the First Time:** We had been officially a couple for only about two months when we said it. We were still staying at Hogwarts, and we sat under a tree overlooking Hagrid's hut. We sat in comfortable and warm silence for a few moments, until we looked at each other and both went to say something. "You first," I mumbled. "Thank you," he blurted out, "for being there for me through all of this, the battle, and the grieving and needing you to be strong just to get through the day. I'm never going to be able to repay you for that." "I was going to say the exact same thing," I said with a small smile, trying to hide that there was so much more that I wanted to tell him. "There's something…else…" he began. "Yes?" I asked hopefully. "I—Hermione, I –Hermione, I love you," he finally managed to say slowly after stumbling over his words. I kissed him full on the mouth with a grin. "Ronald, I love you, too." The night was beautiful. I felt complete after having finally said the words I had felt since I was fourteen.

**5. The First Time we were Together Well:** The first few times Ron and I were together in that way we were both awkward and fumbled a lot. But, after a few times, we finally knew what we were doing and it was magical. There's no other word for it. I don't really like to talk about this sort of thing, so just take my word for it when I say that it was just absolutely one of the best nights of my life emotionally and physically.

**4. The Night He Came Back:** As much as I hated him for what he had done, and as angry as I was and for every time I hit him or threw him a dirty look, I was secretly so filled with joy that he was back. I had begun to lose strength. After Godric's Hollow, nothing was the same and I knew Harry and I were both falling into darkness. But, with Ron back, the glue that held us together was stronger than ever. My will returned, for Ron is the reason I wanted to fight. My heart remembered love that night. My soul remembered companionship that night. Ron brought both Harry and I back to life that night.

**3. The Night After the Battle:** I have never been so exhausted in my life. Finally, after three years of open warfare, the war was over. I think my physical heart felt that. But, there was so much grief, so much to do. Ron and I stayed at the castle, and we tramped up to Gryffindor Tower, which somehow remained mostly intact. We got up to the boys' dormitory. I still had all of our things in my beaded bag, so I pulled out a pair of pyjamas for Ron, and when I turned to leave, he grabbed my hand. "Don't. I…" "Do you need me as much as I need you right now?" I whispered raggedly to him. "More," he replied. I pulled out my own pyjamas and changed quickly in the lavatory in their dormitory. I sank into bed next to him, and we slept for eighteen solid hours, his arm protectively around me.

**2. The Night we were Together for the First Time:** Even though it was awkward and bumbling and a teensy bit painful for me, when we finally made love, I finally understood the phrase "to make love." Being with Ron is very physical, but it's so much more. It's like with our Patronuses. Only, this is our bodies and our souls. Ron and I became a union that night. I've never felt more beautiful or confident in myself or cared for than that night.

**1. The Night Ron Proposed:** I was pretty positive that it was coming after our brief discussion about future children. But, he caught me completely off guard. I was expecting he would do it either during or after dinner at the Burrow that weekend. But, on a completely random Wednesday, I Apparated into my flat to find a roll of parchment resting in front of the apparition point that only Harry, Ron, Ginny and I have knowledge of and access to.

I plucked it up and unfurled it. There was a clue written in what I knew immediately as Ron's handwriting. _When I met you, I was just a boy, but the momentum of our relationship would pick up from that date forward, just as the train did on our way to this Historical place. _I sat my briefcase down and took my outer-robes off. I wondered why the H was capitalized. Of course! _Hogwarts, A History_. I went to the bookshelf in my study and opened the book to page 901, the date we met.

Inside, there was another piece of parchment that read: _I realized how much you mean to me on the day you were attacked and turned to stone, but, it's a stone representation of me where you'll find this clue's brother. _That one took me a moment. What did I have that was stone that represented Ron? I finally settled to guess on the small paperweight in the shape of a Knight Chess piece that stood on my dresser.

Stuck on the bottom of the knight was another note that read: _I was more than a moron for letting this come between us once. That will never happen again. _I immediately set out for Crookshanks. I found him on the sofa, with a roll of parchment attached to his collar. Upon unrolling it, I saw the words: _When you came down the staircase, everyone else saw what I had been seeing for over a year. _I had no idea what he meant with that. There were no staircases in my flat. Obviously, he was referring to the Yule Ball, but I didn't have anything from that stupid night, except my dress robes, which Ron didn't even know about. They were stuffed in the back of my closet. But, it was worth a shot to look.

It took a moment to pull the periwinkle dress robes out of the back of my closet, but I finally managed. Inside the pocket was another clue. _You were surprised at me, but I always knew. Though, I've been unsure about myself before, I've never doubted you. _This one completely stumped me. Did he mean our relationship? He had doubted that before it started. What had I been surprised at? I sat at the foot of my bed, and thought.

The clues had been building on our relationship, one from each year so far. What had I doubted him about fifth year, that he had been sure of for me, but not myself? I felt like I was missing something very obvious, when I remembered my reaction to getting Prefect. But, he couldn't possibly know where my Prefect badge was. At this point, I wasn't going to put anything past Ron Weasley. I tried to summon it, to save time, but, cleverer than I ever gave him credit for, Ron had prevented that from working. So, I trudged to the storage closet on the other side of my flat, dug to the bottom of the floor, heaved out my Hogwarts trunk, delicately pulled out my beaded bag and reached deep into its Undetectable Extension Charmed cavern and felt around for my badge.

Finally, I felt my fingers brush it and pulled it from the depths of the place I hid most things I didn't want lying around. Stuck to the back was another piece of parchment. It read: _I think I've improved upon this since you said it later that same year. I didn't find it funny at the time, but I think we've got a better understanding of each other now and I can laugh with you when you say this._ I ran to the kitchen, still oblivious to what was waiting for me, in excitement. On my kitchen table were about a thousand tiny teaspoons. I laughed out loud. A piece of parchment was resting on top of them. I picked it up, and it just said _Tap one with your wand._ I pulled out my wand and tapped the pile. They rose into the air and spelled out the words: _We pretend to love this every Christmas for my mum's sake, but have secretly laughed about it since sixth year._ I walked as calmly as I could to the wireless in the living room. But, there was no clue. I thought for sure he had meant Celestina Warbeck. The only other thing was Weasley sweaters, but we'd seen those ages before sixth year. I decided to try my actual cauldron. I walked to the little potions lab that I had set up in a spare bedroom. Resting in front of the cauldron was the next note, which read: _Bless the day I received this, for it saved me from a life of regret indeed. _

Obviously, Ron was referring to his Deluminator, but as far as I know, he had it. I walked into my bedroom, to the drawer where he kept spare clothes for when he spent the night occasionally. There was his Deluminator. When I clicked it, the same eerie blue light that he had described that brought him back to us, hovered in front of me. I let it fill me, and I was transported to the hill where we first became a couple. And there was his Patronus, barking and jumping up and down at the sight of me. I followed it to the bottom of the hill, where all the Weasleys' weddings took place. And there he stood, looking like he had won the lottery. I approached him cautiously, suddenly realizing what this might have been leading up to.

I grinned at him and said, "What have I done to deserve all this?" He just grinned at me and sank down to one knee and he pulled out the little box every girl dreams of. "Hermione Jean Granger, you are the most intelligent, most compassionate, most beautiful witch and it's me who doesn't deserve all this. I love you and will love you until I'm gone like this world. Will you spend your life with me, a jack Russell terrier chasing after his otter? Will you marry me?" Without hesitation, I cried yes. Ron put the ring on my finger, and flicked his wand. His waiting Patronus ran towards the Burrow, barking like mad. We walked to the Burrow, I was expecting to interrupt his parents' quiet evening to tell them. Instead, everyone was there waiting with an engagement party. And now, in four more months, I'll be Mrs. Ronald Bilius Weasley.


	8. The Best Nights Ever

I waited a night or two to write the next list. Sometimes I think that all this list making is going to tire me out more than work does. I was a bit excited to write this list, though. The twenty-five best nights of my life wouldn't be torture like the fifteen worst nights had been. I wrote the list quickly, and actually didn't mind doing it. Merlin, Hermione was rubbing off on me.

The Best Nights of my Life

**25. The First Uneventful Halloween: **Halloweens have always been an eventful mess with us. Trolls, Death Day Parties and the Chamber being opened, thinking I got attacked by Sirius; the list goes on and on. Well, after the war, Halloween came round and Hermione was at Hogwarts. Harry and I snuck into Hogwarts to meet the girls using the cloak and the map. We just sat in the Room of Requirement and talked. Nothing happened. I kept waiting for a catastrophe and nothing happened. For the first time, I realized that we were safe. That was pretty great, to just be able to enjoy a holiday without some mad Dark Wizard doing something to try and kill us.

**24. The Night I was Made Prefect: **I didn't expect it. At all. I just assumed that Harry would get it. I was never the first pick for anything, but there the badge was in my letter. I felt proud of myself, which didn't happen quite often. I was so damned insecure when I was young. And then I got my own broom and it was fantastic. I had been toying with the idea of trying out for the team, and getting the broom only made me more sure that I wanted to. That night was just really good for my self-esteem. It also helped that the idea of patrolling with Hermione made me quite excited.

**23. The Night we Almost got Caught at the Lovegood's: **I was damn pissed off with Luna's dad that night, but a wonderful thing happened that night. Hermione threw the Invisibility Cloak over _me_. She had the foresight, intelligence, quick-thinking and heart to protect me and my family despite how angry she was with me. I hadn't even thought about it when we Disapparated, but then she explained it and I knew she'd come around eventually, even if she was still angry with me.

**22. The Night I Forgave Percy: **It took a while. I mean, I had never acted like a bloody prat to him after the Battle of Hogwarts, because I knew he was sorry and we were all grieving for Fred. But, it took a couple of months for me to forgive him for ditching us, and for telling me to ditch Harry. But, after a while, I did forgive him and my family felt a little bit more whole to me.

**21. The Night I started Auror training: **I was so used to the idea of being a soldier, that I couldn't see any other career path for myself. It had sort of always been a childhood dream of mine, because I thought the Aurors were the coolest people in the Wizarding World. When I finally started training with Harry, I saw it as ensuring that the world would stay safe from madmen like Voldemort. I want to be an Auror so my family will always be safe. My worst nightmare is that some kid has to go through what Harry did. Nobody deserves the life he had to live, and I want to make sure that doesn't happen. I want to keep Hermione safe, my brothers and sister safe.

**20. The Night I Made the Quidditch Team: **I had mucked a lot of things up with Hermione during our fourth year, but wanted fifth year to be the year I finally got the courage to make things work between us. I worked really hard to make the Quidditch team, thinking it would impress her. I wanted fifth year to be the best year of my life. It was, in a weird way the best, until now of course. The night I made Keeper was another instance to feel proud of myself.

**19. The Night I Met the Grangers: **I was so bloody nervous. I didn't know what they would think of me, of our relationship, of my life, of how I was constantly taking Hermione away from them. So, I just thanked them for always allowing Hermione to come and visit, as well as for raising her to be the woman she is. Mr. Granger thanked me for keeping his little girl safe in the face of something he couldn't fight. Right there, in their kitchen, where only he could hear, I told him I wanted to marry Hermione someday. I also told him that protecting Hermione had never been a choice, but an instinct. That night, I also thought a lot about what kind of father I wanted to be. I made up my mind to be the most loving, doting and protective father I could be.

**18. The Night Harry Asked me if he Could Propose to Ginny: **I always thought of Harry as my brother, this way it would be official. And I had never seen Ginny as happy as she was round Harry. So, when he asked me for permission about six months ago, it just made me really happy. He's always been a part of my family, and now he really is going to be.

**17. The Night we Started Dumbledore's Army: **After Voldemort returned, I knew that I would stand with Harry. Our fight in fourth year put my life into perspective. I would fight with him for the safety and freedom of the wizarding world, and I wanted to learn how. I had grown up with Fred and George of course, so breaking the rules was always fun and exciting. I loved sticking it that old hag. I loved being a leader, someone who had seen some action, and I loved that my best mate was finally getting to be the kind of wizard he was supposed to be all along.

**16. The Night I Asked about Amortentia: **We had been dating for a couple of months, and I had snuck into Hogwarts to see Hermione with the aid of Harry's cloak and the Marauder's Map. We were sitting in the Room of Requirement and just talking. I asked her about the first day of sixth year in Potions class, when we learned about Amortentia. It had always stuck with me that she hadn't named the third thing she smelled. She blushed furiously and admitted that she smelled my hair. I turned beet red, of course. "Even then, you knew?" I asked her, and she said "Oh, yeah, I had known for ages, but it took me off guard because it put me in this trance in front of everyone. Well, I thought I was about to tell everyone in the dungeons how boggled I am for you." We laughed for a while and kissed, and then I apologized for the being such a bastard during sixth year. It was stolen moments like that that kept us going through her last year at Hogwarts.

**15. The First Night Hermione Didn't Cry Herself to Sleep: **Hermione and I had gotten so used to sleeping in the tent together that not sleeping next to her was weird. After the Battle, she slept in my bed in Gryffindor tower and then when we got back to the Burrow after about a month and a half, she slept in my bed there. She cried herself to sleep every night, and then she went off to Hogwarts. I felt awful, not following her, but I had to start Auror training, it was just something I had to do, just like she had to get her NEWTs. When she came home for Christmas, she slept in my bed and that first night she didn't cry herself to sleep. I thought she had just gotten past that over the time since I had last slept next to her, but when I asked her about it, she said that had been the first time. She said that being back at the Burrow, and being back in my arms while she slept had made her feel safer and more whole. She said the tears weren't necessary anymore.

**14. The Night I Heard her Voice in the Deluminator: **I had wanted to go back immediately, but I didn't know how. I was just clicking the Deluminator one night, and I heard her say my name. I later found out that that was the first time she had said it out loud since I left. I knew I was going to find my way back to her. I knew that when I did, I would never leave her again. I just packed my rucksack and went off. I was practically giddy to be on my way back to her and Harry.

**13. The Night Hermione Came Home from Hogwarts: **I visited her a lot while she was off at school, and I saw her at Christmas and Easter, but it wasn't the same. I had spent the last seven years with Hermione ten out of twelve months, and being away from her was hell. I had grown used to sleeping with her in my arms, and sneaking up behind her to kiss the top of her head. I hated that I wasn't with her, but I knew we needed different things for that year. Finally, after not seeing her for three months because of NEWTs, she got off the Hogwarts Express and I almost died with joy. I scooped her up in my arms and kissed her and spun her round and didn't let go for what I thought was ages. Finally, Harry coughed and I remembered to let her see her other friends. I felt complete again that night. Hermione is sort of like…my other half or…the piece of me that I had to find before I felt right. When I finally got her back I felt like I could be sane again.

**12. The Night we Saved the Stone: **I can't even describe what it feels like to be a hero. I had barely turned twelve and I had helped to save the Wizarding World. I felt important for the first time in my life. I had always worried that my brothers would overshadow me forever, but none of them had sacrificed themselves to make sure Harry Potter could save the world from Voldemort. It was a great feeling, to know that my friends and family were safe and that I had had a part in that.

**11. The Night we Became a Trio:** I was a right bastard to Hermione before Halloween Night when we were first years. At the time, I thought that night was awful, but without that night, I wouldn't be engaged to the love of my life. Hermione is the real reason the world was saved. Of course, Harry had to do it and I would've helped him, but we wouldn't have lasted past first year without her. She solved the riddle, she solved the unanswered questions of the Basilisk, it was her motivation that got the Time Turner that saved Sirius, she ensured Harry survive the Triwizard Tournament, that we find the Hall of Prophecy, figured out who the Half Blood Prince was and she's the one who never abandoned Harry. Without her in our lives, we would have died and we would have been kicked out of Hogwarts. That was the night I really saw her for who she is. She's so much more than a brain. She has true courage. She's brilliant in every way.

**10. The Night Hermione Told me that she Loves Me:** Hermione and I sat together a lot while we were staying at Hogwarts to help repair the castle. We had always bickered and I think that after all that tension went away that was only there because we were both too afraid to do anything about how we felt, we had just so much time to just…sit with each other. It was really…lovely. Merlin, I sound like a ponce. But, the truth is when Hermione and I just sit together, that's when I feel like she's in love with me. She's comfortable with me, and not every moment has to be filled with chatter or snogging or all that.

Well, one night we were just sitting there, looking out at the grounds and I had the biggest urge to tell her how I really felt about her. I was terrified. But, after finally plucking up the courage, I told her how grateful I am for her. I didn't want her to think I was still taking her for granted. Of course, this was only a cover (a cover with truth behind it, but a cover) for what I had really been about to say. Well, when she reciprocated those feelings, I thought I'd have a go at telling her that I love her. And, against all the odds, Hermione said she loves me back. I swear that's a miracle. Finally, after six years, those words were off my chest.

**9. The Night Angelina Knocked Sense into George:** George went catatonic right after the war. He didn't do anything. He didn't joke, or prank, or laugh, or talk hardly at all. One night, he was in his flat above the shop and Angelina came storming in. I wasn't there, but Angelina, Bill, Fleur and I sort of planned this together. It had gotten to be too much. He had to find himself again. Well, Angelina storms into his flat and really calmly pulls out some clothes for George to put on. He protested immediately, saying he didn't feel well. But, if Angelina has her mind set on something, you should just do it the first time she tells you to. She starts telling George that there are people who love him, people who need him to be himself. George, of course, protested, saying that he couldn't be George without the "Fred and" before his name. And Angelina told him that she had never seen the twins as "The Twins" she had seen them as two people. She told him that if she had lost one of her best friends to the war, she wasn't going to let depression take the man she had fallen in love with. It took a lot of time for George to find some peace after we lost Fred, but about two seconds to realize he needed to kiss Angelina. She dragged him to the Burrow and he came to family dinner. Seeing him finding pieces of himself again that night was brilliant. Now, almost seven months after that night, George is finally acting like himself again.

**8. The Night I Decided to Propose:** After Hermione said that she wanted all of her children to have red hair, freckles and long noses, I knew we were going to be together forever. I had always been secretly worried that one day she would say she was just kidding and had gotten a much better offer from Krum or McLaggen, or bloody Hell, even a random bloke on the street. But, when she said that, I realized that Hermione isn't going anywhere and that for the rest of my life, I would be the happiest man alive. I had been worried about if it was the right time to get married or not, but then I remembered what I said to her the night we became a couple, and I decided to take my own advice.

**7. The Night I Realized Hermione had Forgiven Me:** Hermione told me that she had forgiven me for what I never expected her to forgive me for, but I thought she had just been saying it. I tried so hard to believe that she had forgiven me, but I still felt so guilty. It took me several months before I realized that she had actually forgiven me. The night that hit me, I had snuck into Hogwarts with Harry to see Hermione and Ginny. We were all sitting round the Room of Requirement, and Hermione was leaning against me. We had begun talking about what she wanted to do with her future and she sort of implied that I would be in her future for the long term. It was the littlest thing, she just asked me "Well, do you think we should get flats in London, since we'll both be at the Ministry? It's not as if transportation is a problem even if we are closer or further to our families." She obviously meant for us to have flats close by to each other and that really impacted me. I started thinking about how she wasn't just going to leave me one day, saying she'd had a bit of fun, but that we were over. It was wonderful to know that she was thinking that we would be together for the next years. When I realized that I wasn't going to have to fight to keep the only woman I've ever loved, I realized she had forgiven me a longer time ago than I had expected.

**6. The Night IT Wasn't Awkward:** The First few times Hermione and I were together were to say the least…awkward. Neither of us had any idea what we were doing. But, finally after a lot of fumbling around we found this really great place that's perfect for us. I'm not going to lie and say that sex isn't a big deal to me. Half the time I yelled at Hermione after the age of thirteen was because I kept getting overly…excited…about her. And when we finally got together and it was brilliant, well it just relieved a lot of tension that was almost eight years in the making. I really love sex, but I can't imagine that with someone other than Hermione. It's like I wrote before, about how Hermione doesn't really care that I'm touching her, she cares that it's ME that's touching her. Being in love with who you're with makes being with them incredible, and the night things between us were perfect felt like a form of magic. It also really helped to know that all those years I had been trying so hard not to just grab her and drag her to the Room of Requirement, she was having similar feelings and that finally we were both getting something we really wanted.

**5. The First Time I Rode the Hogwarts Express: **I had been dying to go to Hogwarts for as long as I could remember, and I was so excited to finally go to school. But then my whole life changed. I met Harry and nothing would ever be the same. Meeting Harry on the train meant a lot of things. I had my first real friend, and my part in saving the world began. But mostly, I was just so happy to have such an incredible friend. Harry didn't judge me for being poor, or for having a load of older brothers. He stood up for me in front of Malfoy and he didn't abandon me at the first sign of having more powerful friends. It was incredible. And then, of course my life changed even more. A swotty girl that I hated at the time came into the compartment and for the first time, I met my future wife. I really regret how I treated her all those weeks before she saved our skins with the troll. But, meeting her changed my life. If we hadn't met that day on the train, the whole fate of the Wizarding World might've turned out differently.

**4. The Night She Became my Girlfriend:** About two weeks after the Battle, Hermione and I were just sitting on this hill by the Burrow and it hit me that we hadn't talked about what we were to each other. I was sick of waiting. I had always had an excuse to not ask her to be my girlfriend. First it was we were too young, then it was her cat was mad and I was angry at her, then it was that I was angry about Krum, then it was that Voldemort was back, then it was how stupid and afraid I was during sixth year, then it was the war and I was done with waiting. I wasn't going to be scared of her rejecting me anymore. SHE had kissed ME during the Battle. Obviously, she had feelings for me. So, I went for it. I told her that I was done waiting, and I didn't care that we were in the middle of saying goodbye to the ones we lost or that we were still rebuilding. The way I saw it, we had waited enough and it was going to happen sooner or later. I just wanted it to be sooner. When she said "of course" to me, well I felt like the terrible things we had suffered were all worth it. She and I were together and the world was free, SHE was free. I missed Fred and everything was still awful, but being with Hermione made me see that all that pain and suffering would end soon.

**3. The Night I Came Back:** I had been trying to find them for so long. I had followed them everywhere that the Deluminator led me, but I had just never been able to see them. I was getting so frustrated, because I had to set up my own camp with my own enchantments, which meant that they wouldn't be able to see me either. I was running out of ideas when I saw Harry jumping into the frozen lake to get the Sword of Gryffindor. I didn't even think about the possible consequences of jumping in after him when he didn't resurface right away. I just…jumped. And my best mate forgave me for being the worst kind of person. And then, when I saw Hermione for the first time in months, I felt my whole body fill up again. She was so beautiful, even as she was yelling at me and punching me and not talking to me. I was just so happy to see her. I was back with my best friends and I was never going to leave them again.

**2. The Night I Proposed:** I had spent the days after I decided to propose to her carefully constructing the elaborate way that I proposed. I asked Harry and Ginny and Fleur about so much. I wrote the clues, got everything ready, and made sure I could perform some of the more complicated spells. That afternoon, I Apparated into her flat and hid all of the clues and made sure everything was perfect. Then, I Apparated over to the Burrow to help my mum get the engagement party ready. The party was Harry's idea, and we came up with the idea that when she answered, I would send my Patronus to him to tell him the good news, or the bad news. That way, he could either charm the decorations to say "Congratulations" or Vanish them to make it into an impromptu dinner party, instead of an engagement party. I was so incredibly nervous. But, I tried really hard to just…be confident. She had said she wanted to have Weasley children, so I might as well propose then and there. I had wanted to make her my wife for so long, since before the war, really.

When she finally came to the hill where I first asked her to be my girlfriend, my heart was beating so fast. My Patronus led her down the hill to me, and I got down on one knee, remembering that she loved me and that she wanted this. I was just terrified of the timing. But, with as much confidence as I could, I asked her to marry me with the words I had practiced. Somehow, miraculously she said yes. I have never been so happy in my life. Hermione Granger is going to be my wife soon, and knowing that in four months my life will be perfect is an incredible feeling.

**1. The Night we were Together for the First Time: **I know that this sounds really awful, that sex is more important to me than her promising to be my wife, but honestly to me, actions are what a person really wants, but words can be only shades of the truth. I haven't trusted words since Tom Riddle's diary showed Harry that Hagrid was the Heir of Slytherin. It's really easy for someone to say one thing, but not tell the whole truth, or to outright lie, or anything that just makes the wand bend a bit more than it's supposed to. Well, when Hermione and I first…made love (Merlin that's funny to write)…I knew that she really is in love with me. We had been fooling around for months on end, but I had never gotten brave enough, or thought it was the right time, to try and break her knickers-on rule. But that night, I felt like I had swallowed Felix Felicis or something. I just felt like I knew what to do. So, I went for it and it was magical and fantastic and I felt loved and complete. See, Hermione has this way of touching me and making me physically feel her heart. That night it felt like our souls connected. It's like with the Patronuses. Our souls just…know. And that night my body knew it too, which meant my fears were all stupid and Hermione and I just feel perfect together. There's no other word. Hermione and I are meant to be together. I didn't really believe in soulmates until that night, I just believed in being right for each other. But, now I know that Hermione and I were MADE for each other.


End file.
